Hydraulic clutching and driving apparatus



pri122, 1941. D H; J, CRINER D l 2,239,157

HYDRAULIC CLUTCHING AND DRIVING APPARATUS Filed July w', 1940 l IIIIVENTOR. @wf-@V ATTORNEYS Patented pr. 22, 1941 NHTED STAT E s PT OFFICE HYDRAULIC CLUTCHING AND DR APPARATUS Application July 1o, 194e, serial No. 344,664

(ci. 1oz-5o) l 10 Claims.

I accomplish these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my apparatus on the line I."-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a front elevation referring to the right end of Figure 1 as the front;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detail showing an exaggerated angle of the crank chamber;

Figure 5 is an alternate form-of crank and crank chamber showing two ppositely positioned cranks in place of the single/one shown in Figure 1.

Similar numerals refer to similarparts throughout the several views.

My apparatus includes a driving shaft I8 which may be the engine shaft of an automobile, airplane or other machine of any kind, and a driven shaft 23 which may be the propeller shaftof an automobile, airplane, lathe, or other machine.

The driven shaft 23 has rigidly mounted thereon a hub 3 formed integral with the cylindrical housing I, the opposite end of which is fitted with a covzerf` late 4 which may be` secured to the side wall of the housing I by set screws or stud bolts 4 or other suitable means.

The cover plate 4 has anl external hub 6 formed integral therewith and an internal hub 1. Within the hub 6 and upon the driving shaft I8 isslidably mounted a sleeve I0, the inner end of which is bored out and threaded internally to receive a ring I2 which bears against and holds in place an internal packing ring I2a which may be of any suitable form or material adapted for that purpose. f

The outer end. of the hub 6 is bored out and internally threaded to receive a ring 9 adapted to bear` against and hold in place an outer oil seal packing ring 8 of any suitable form or material. Such packing rings being in common use and well known, I make no claim to any precise kind of material or form of ring.

In't'he outer walls of Ithe housing I ports 2 and 2' are bored which form conduits adapted to carry the oil from the rear pressure chamber 24 to the front pressure chamber 2| by way of intermediate ports 5 formed in the cover plate B and the oil space asurrounding 'the shaft I8 and through the ports 'I' formed in the inner hub li.

A ball bearing I4 is mounted within the inner hub 'I to form an inner bearing for the shaft I8 and a threaded ring I3 mounted in the inner end of the hub 'I to retain the bearing I4 in place.

Upon the inner end of the shaft I8 a hub I5 is mounted which may be secured in place by a key or pin I8 or other sui-*table means, or it may be provided with grooves and ribs to mesh with similar ribs and grooves on the shaft I8. s

VAn arm I6 is formed integral with the hub I carrying a trunmon Il with a ball-bearing roll I9 mounted thereon. The ball-bearing I9 is of the self-aligning type which will permit angular movement thereof relative to the trunnion I1, to'

adapt it to travel on the angular flange 2lb and transverse wall 20'.

The front pressure chamber 2l is formed with' a solid rear wall 20' which stands at a. slight angle to the rear head of the housing I and is united all the way around to the cylindrical walls of the piston 25. f

A similarly -inclined wall 2lb is formedv spaced from and parallel to the wall 20 bu't with its central portion cut away to permit the entrance of the hub 1, and a front inwardly turned annular flange 2 Ic may be formed integral with the side walls-ofthe piston 25 'to strengthen and balance a similar flange 20 formed at the rear end of the piston.

'Ihe piston 25 is fitted to the inner walls of the housing I so as to permit free longitudinal movemenrl; therein. Annular rear flange 20 is formed integral with the walls of the piston 25 and v provided with bores y20a adapted to receive and slide lengthwise upon guide bolts 201;y or other suitable guide rods united tothe-rear head of the housing I while permitting free longitudinal movement thereof within given limits; Packing Y move the sleeve I0 inwardly so as to close the inner ends ofthe ports 5. As such devices are well known and in common use, I do not attempt to show the actuating lever and fork or yoke, but any desired form of apparatus may be employed Ito cause the sleeve I to travel so as to close or open the ports 5.

Any desired plurality of ports 5 may be utilized and the longitudinal movement of the sleeve I0 may be very small.

In Figure 5 I have shown a sectional` detail of an alternative form of apparatus employing a plurality of arms I 6 and bearings I9. In this vform the crank chamber has its sidewalls inclined so as to cause two longitudinalmovements in both directions of the piston 25 for each revolution of the shaft I8. Obviously three or four, or even more, arms I6 and bearings I9 may be utilized and the contour of the inner faces of Ithe rear wall may be varied to cause a corresponding number of longitudinal movements of the piston for each revolution of the driving In the operation of my apparatus the pressure chambers 24 and 2l may be filled with oil through an opening in the housing which may be closed by a filler plug 26. The sleeve I0 is then thrown into the position shown in Figure 1 leaving the ports open so that the oil can travel freely back and forth between the pressure chambers 2| and 24. Obviously the oil will not be subject to any appreciable compression and when it is desired to operate the driven shaft 23, the sleeve III will be moved inwardly so as to gradually close the ports 5, thereby preventing` any movement of the oil from one pressure chamber to the other. As the oil cannot move from one chamber to the other when the ports are closed, the piston 25 cannot travel longitudinally of the shafts and will lock the crank I 5 against rotation relative to the piston 25, thus compelling the driven shaft 23 to turn with the driving shaft I8. When the ports are entirely closed, the driven shaft 23 will travel in what is called direct drive and will revolve at the same rate asthe shaft I3.

When it is desired to vary the relative speed of the driving shaft VI3 and the driven shaft 23 but to keep the driven shaft 23 inmotion, the sleeve I0 may be moved far enough to partially open the. ports 5 so as to permit the desired amount of travel of the oil from one pressure chamber to the other and in order to safeguard the apparatus against injury in case a vehicle` As various modifications of my apparatus may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, I do not limit my claims to the precise forms shown in the drawing.

I claim:

l. A hydraulic clutch comprising a-cylindrical housing united to a driven shaft, an open-ended cylindrical piston mounted therein for longitudilnal travel but secured against rotation relative to the housing, a transverse wall formed in the piston to separate front and rear fluid-chambers,

a driving shaft revolvably mounted in one end of the housing in line axially with the driven shaft and with its inner end extending into the front fluid-chamber, an annular ange formed integral with the piston spaced in front of and parallel to the transverse wall, a crank united to the inner end of the driving shaft carrying a trunnion with a self-aligning ball-bearing roll mounted thereon to contact and roll between and along the transverse wall and flange adjacent the side walls of the piston during rotation of the driving shaft. relative to the piston, the transverse wall and the fiange being formed at an angle to the plane of revolution of the crank whereby the piston will be caused to travel longitudinally as the crank revolves with the driving shaft when the ports hereafter mentioned are open, ports leading from one compression chamber to the other, and means for closing the ports to prevent movement of uid from either chamber to the other thereby causing the piston and housing to revolve with the drive shaft.

2. A hydraulic clutch comprising a cylindrical housing united to a driven shaft, an open-ended cylindrical piston mounted therein for longitu-Y dinal travel but secured against rotation relative to the housing, a transverse wall formed in the piston to separate front and rear duid-chambers, a driving shaft revolvably mounted in one end of the housing in line axially with the driven shaft and with its inner end extending into the -front fluid-chamber, an annular flange formed integral with the piston spaced in front of and parallel to the transverse wall, a crank united to the inner end of the driving shaft carrying a selfaligning roll mounted thereon to contact and roll between and along the transverse wall and flange `during rotation of the driving shaft rela-y 'tive to the piston, the transverse wall and the flange being formed at an angle to the plane of revolution of the crank whereby the piston will be caused to travel longitudinally as'the crank revolves with the driving shaftpwhen4 the ports hereafter mentioned are open, ports leading from one compression chamber to the other, and means for closing the ports to prevent movement of fluid from either chamber to the other thereby causing the piston and housing to revolve with the drive shaft. l

3. A hydraulic clutch comprising a cylindrical housing closed at both ends and rigidly united to a co-axial driven shaft, an open-ended cylindrical piston mounted for longitudinal travel therein but secured against rotation relative to the housing having an intermediate transverse wall and an annular flange united to the piston spaced from the transverse wall and parallel thereto, duid chambers formed on the front and rear sides of the transverse wall bounded on the sides by the-side walls of the cylinder and piston and bounded on the ends by the end walls of the cylinder and the intermediate wall of the piston, a driving shaft revolvably mounted in the front end of the housing with its inner end extending into the front chamber, a crank united to the inner end of the driving shaft carrying a roll mounted thereon whereby it may contact and roll upon the transverse wall and the annular flange during the rotation of the driving shaft relative to the piston, the transverse wall and the ange being formed at an angle to the plane of the crank whereby the piston will be caused to travel longitudinally .as the -crank revolves with the driving shaft.

4. A hydraulic nuten comprising a cylindeai housing closed at both ends and rigidly united to a co-axial driven shaft, an open-ended cylindrical piston mounted for longitudinal travel therein but secured against lrotation lrelative ytu the housing having an intermediate transverse wall and an annular flange united to the piston spaced from the transverse wall and parallel thereto, fluid chambers formed on the front and rear sides of the transverse wall bounded on the sides by the side walls of the cylinder and piston and bounded on the ends by the end walls of the cylinder and the intermediate wall of the piston, a driving shaft revolvably mounted Vin the front end of the housing with its inner end extending into the front chamber, a crank united to the inner end of the driving shaft carrying a selfaligning ball-bearing roll mounted thereon whereby it maycontact and roll upon the transverse wall and the annular flange during the rotation of the driving shaft relative to the piston, the transverse wall and the flange being formed at an angle to the plane of the crank whereby the piston will be caused to travel longitudinally as the crank revolves with the driving shaft. .v

5. A hydraulic clutch comprising a cylindrical housing united to a driven shaft, an open-ended cylindrical piston mounted therein for longitudinal travel but secured against rotation relative to the housing, a transverse wall formed in the piston to separate front and rear fluidchambers, a driving shaft revolvably mounted in one end of the housing in line axially with the driven shaft and with its inner end extending into the front fluid-chamber, an annular flange formed integral with the piston spaced in front of and parallel to the transverse wall, a crank united to the inner end of the driving shaft carrying a trunnion with a self-aligning ball-bearing roll mounted thereon to contact and roll between and along the transverse wall and flange adjacent the side walls of the piston, during rotation of the driving shaft relative to the piston,l

the transverse wall and the flange being formed at an angle to the plane of revolution of the crank whereby the piston will be caused to travel longitudinally as the crank revolves with the driving shaft when the ports hereafter mentioned are open, ports in the cylinder leading from one compression chamber to the other, and means for closing the ports to prevent movement of fluid from either chamber to the other thereby causing' the piston and housing to revolve with the drive shaft.

6.In a hydraulic clutch, a closed cylindrical housing united to a driven shaft, a piston comprising a transverse body wall united to ya cylinder extending to the front and rear and slidable in the housing for longitudinal travel 'but secured against rotation relative to the housing, fluid-chambers on each side of the piston wall, a driving shaft revolvably mounted in the housing with its inner end extending into the front fluidchamber, an annular flange uni-ted to the piston spaced from' the transverse wall and parallel thereto, a crank united to the inner end of the driving shaft carrying a trunnion with a selfaligning roll mounted thereon whereby it may contact and roll upon the transverse wall and the annular ange adjacent the side walls of the piston during the rotation of the driving shaft relative to the piston and may bear against and rotate same when the piston is locked against longitudinal movement, the transverse wall and the flange being formed at an angle to the plane of the crank whereby the piston will be caused to travel longitudinally as the crank revolves with the driving shaft relative to the housing.

7. A hydraulic clutch comprising a cylindrical I -a driving shaft revolvably mounted in one end of the housing in line axially with the driven shaft and with its inner end extending into the front fluid-chamber, an annular flange united to the piston spaced in front of and parallel to the transverse wall, a crank united to the inner end of the driving shaft carrying a trunnion with a self-aligning ball-bearing roll mounted thereon to contact and roll between and along the transverse wall and flange adjacent the side Walls of the piston during rotation of the driving shaft relative to the piston, the transverse wall and the ange being formed at an angle vto the plane of revolution of the crank whereby the piston will be caused to travel longitudinally as the crank revolves with the driving shaft when the ports hereafter mentioned are open, ports leading from one compression chamber to the other, and means for closing the ports to prevent movement of fluid from either chamber to the other thereby causing the piston and housing to revolve with the drive shaft. f

8. A hydraulic clutch comprising a cylindrical y housing closed at both ends and rigidly united to a co-axial driven shaft, an open-ended cylindrical piston mounted for longitudinal travel therein but secured against rotation relative to theihousing having an intermediate transverse wall and an annular flange united to the piston spaced from the transverse wall and parallel thereto, fluid chambers formed on the front and rear sides of the transverse wall bounded on the sides by the side walls of the cylinder and piston and bounded on the ends by the end walls of the cylinder and the intermediate wall of the piston, a driving shaft revolvably mounted in the front end of the housing with its inner end extending into the front chamber, a crank united to the inner end of the driving shaft carrying a roll mounted thereon whereby it may contact and roll upon the transverse wall and the annular flange during the rotation of the driving shaft relative to the piston and rotate the cylinder when the ports hereafter mentioned are closed, the transverse wall and the flange being formed at an angle to the plane of Ithe crank whereby the piston will be caused to travel longitudinally as the crank revolves with the driving shaft.

9, A hydraulic clutch comprising a cylindrical housing closedl at both ends and rigidly united to a co-axial driven shaft, an open-ended cylindrical piston mounted for longitudinal travel therein but secured against rotation relative to the housing having an intermediate transverse wall and an annular flange united to the piston spaced from the transverse Wall and parallel thereto. fluid-chambers formed on the front and rear sides of the transverse wall bounded on the sides by the side walls of the cylinder and piston and bounded on the ends by the end walls of the cylinder and the intermediate wall of the piston, a driving shaft revolvably mounted in the front chamber, a crank united .to the inner end of the driving shaft carrying a roll mounted thereon whereby it may contact and roll upon the transand rotate the cylinder when the ports are partly opened, at varying speeds more or less propor tional to the extent of the opening of the ports, the transverse wall and the ilange being formed yat an angle to the plane of the crank whereby Cil Y lar flange formed integral with the piston spaced in front of and parallel to the transverse wall, a crank united to the inner end of the driving shaft carrying a trunnion with a self-aligning ball-bearing roll mounted thereon to contact and roll between and along the transverse wall and A ange adjacent the side walls of the piston during rotation of the driving shaft relative t0 the piston, the transverse wall and the flange being formed at an angle to the plane of revolution of the crank whereby the piston will be caused to travel longitudinally as the crank revolves with the driving shaft, and means to permit, regulate, and shut off ilow of uid from one chamber to the other.

HARRY J. CRINER. 

